**To automatically archive inactive conversations in Papo (https://papo.global/), you create an automation rule that closes and moves conversations with no interaction for a defined period to the archive, keeping the inbox organized and the team focused on active conversations.**

With this automation, you eliminate the manual work of reviewing and closing stalled conversations. The rule monitors inactivity and executes the archiving action without human intervention, ensuring that the service queue shows only what truly requires attention.

## Summary: manual archiving vs. automation rule

| Method | How it works | When to use |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Manual archiving** | An agent reviews the inbox, identifies stalled conversations, and archives them one by one. | Operations with very low volume or when full control over each closure is needed. |
| **Automation rule** | The system checks the time without interaction and automatically archives conversations that meet the configured criteria. | Medium- and high-volume operations, where keeping the inbox organized manually is unfeasible and prone to failure. |

## How the automatic archiving rule works

The rule uses the conditional logic of Papo's Automation module. When a conversation reaches the set time without any new message (from the customer or the agent), the system executes the action to archive it. You define the inactivity period and, if desired, can filter by channel, tag, or other criteria, refining which conversations will be archived.

## Step by step to create the rule

### 1. Access the Automation module
In Papo's dashboard, go to **Settings → Automation**. This is the hub where you manage all rules that automate actions in customer service.

### 2. Start a new rule
Click the button to add a new rule. Give it a descriptive name, such as “Archive inactive conversations after 7 days,” for easy identification and future adjustments.

### 3. Define the inactivity trigger
Choose the event that triggers the automation. For archiving by inactivity, select the trigger related to **conversation without interaction**. Then set the time condition:
- **Inactivity period**: define how many days (or hours) the conversation must go without new messages to be considered inactive (e.g., 7 days).

You can add extra conditions, such as a specific tag (e.g., “Resolved”) or a source channel, to limit which conversations enter the rule.

### 4. Choose the “Archive conversation” action
In the actions section, select **Archive conversation** (or the equivalent closing action). From that point on, every conversation that reaches the defined inactivity time will be automatically moved to the archive, freeing up the inbox.

### 5. Save and activate the rule
Review the settings, save, and make sure the rule is active. The inbox will stay organized without manual action.

## Who this automation is for

- **Teams with a high volume of customer service**: dozens or hundreds of daily conversations don't pile up; only active ones remain visible.
- **Operations that prioritize SLA and productivity**: agents don't waste time digging through inactive conversations and focus their effort on customers who are still waiting for a response.
- **Companies using multiple channels**: you can create channel-specific rules (e.g., WhatsApp archives after 5 days, email after 10), adapting the archiving policy to each context.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the rule archive conversations that are waiting for the customer's response?
Yes, as long as the configured inactivity time is reached. If you want to preserve conversations where the customer has not yet replied, set a longer period or use a tag that excludes the conversation from the rule (e.g., “Waiting for customer”).

### Can I set different timeframes for different channels?
Yes. Create one rule per channel, using the “Source inbox” condition and the respective inactivity period. This way, WhatsApp can archive after 3 days and email after 7.

### What happens if the customer sends a new message after archiving?
The conversation is automatically reopened and appears again in the inbox as a new interaction. All previous history is preserved.

### Is it possible to archive only conversations that already have a specific tag?
Yes. Add a tag condition to the rule. For example, you can archive only conversations with the “Resolved” tag that have been inactive for 5 days.

### Does the archiving rule affect reports or metrics?
No. Archiving does not delete data. Conversations remain accessible in the archive and are still counted in historical reports. Only the inbox view is cleared.

### Do I need special permission to create automation rules?
Permissions for accessing automation rules follow your Papo account's role configuration. Details about specific permissions can be checked directly on the platform.

## See also

- [How to set up rules to automatically assign conversations from a specific channel to a team](/hc/papo/articles/assign-channel-conversations-to-team-automatically)
- [How to create an automation to send a CSAT survey at the end of each service interaction](/hc/papo/articles/how-to-create-automation-send-csat-survey-after-each-service)

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